Navi Mumbai Airport Impact Area Road Projects Worth Rs. 14,320 Crores to Begin in February, Assures CIDCO Board

Panvel, 27th December 2023: The CIDCO Board has assured farmers in Panvel that the road construction projects in the Navi Mumbai Airport Impact Area, encompassing 1 to 12 Town Projects of Naina Authority, will commence in February. These road construction endeavours, amounting to Rs. 14,320 crores, are set to be completed by February following the completion of the tender process in January. The announcement was made during a meeting at Phadke theatre, where CIDCO officials emphasized the future significance of the Naina project area as an ‘air city.’

The meeting, organized by BJP leaders Prashant Thakur and Mahesh Baldi, aimed to highlight the benefits of the Naina Authority project for farmers in Panvel and Uran. Senior officers from Naina Authority, including Chief Planner Ravindra Mankar, CIDCO Public Relations Officer Mohan Ninave, Saadhan Khatkale, and others, engaged with farmers, addressing their questions and concerns.

The Naina Authority project, announced in January 2013, had faced criticism from farmers due to perceived delays in development. Protests and hunger strikes were staged by constituent parties of Shekap and Mahavikas Aghadi against the state government and CIDCO. To address the concerns and confusion among farmers, a public meeting was organized.

During the meeting, farmers raised several issues, expressing dissatisfaction with the distribution of awarded plots and demanding a higher percentage of developed plots. They also presented various demands, including the establishment of a cell for farmers within Naina Authority, regularization of houses affected by the scheme, no reservation within a 200-meter radius from the village, exemption from betterment and development fees, compensation for houses and trees affected by the scheme, priority for local farmers and educational institutions in the allocation of plots for schools and social services, and more.

CIDCO Board assured farmers that 40 per cent of developed plots would be given when roads, water, and sewerage facilities are constructed, but farmers insisted on a 50 per cent share. CIDCO also acknowledged the demand for various amenities and pledged to address these concerns.

Prashant Thakur assured the farmers that the BJP is not their enemy and will continue to advocate for their rights. He highlighted their past efforts for airport-affected farmers and reiterated their commitment to follow up with the Naina Authority and the State Government to resolve farmers’ problems.